Dubai students embark on a mission to save the planet by recycling paper
Luke is a gentle, friendly cat. He is neutered and microchipped and had his first vaccination. He is an eightmonth-old boy who enjoys cuddles and is good with other cats.
■ soil that has been degraded by desertification, droughts and floods.
We went around our neighbourhood asking our friends, neighbours and family members to give us their newspapers, old magazines, cardboards, bills and other paper products lying around the house but not being used. The result? We collected around 560kg of paper for recycling which translates to saving 10 trees, 806 gallons of oil, 2 cubic yards of landfill space, 2,240 kilowatts of energy and 1,484 gallons of water.
The campaign not only facilitated paper recycling thereby reducing the trash that would otherwise be sent to landfills, but also ensured saving precious resources. We were also able to effectively raise awareness in the community on the need to rethink, reduce, reuse and recycle.
Rajshri Mishra, a UAE resident who advocates for recycling said: “I feel that the recycling of paper is a very positive step for the environment since paper products can be recycled and the number of trees cut down for the production of paper can be reduced. Such campaigns help to increase awareness about the three ‘Rs’: Reduce reuse and recycle. This innovative campaign will help in gradually changing the public mindset as seeing the children in the community undertake such a selfless service helps make us adults more environmentally conscious.”
Recycling along with the judicious use of resources is the need of the hour. We all need to protect the environment through means of education and community involvement to leave a green mark. Save paper, reduce plastic usage, lessen food wastage, keep surroundings clean as well as conserve water.
We should join environmental organisations, participate in clean up drives and initiate recycling programmes in our neighbourhood and educational facilities.
These positive actions shall contribute to energy and land conservation as well as the reduction of pollution thereby contributing towards achieving UAE Vision 2021 launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and UN Sustainable Development Goals.
We would like to urge everyone to recycle and adopt green practices. We all need to realise that very simple lifestyle changes and small acts can help to make a big impact on the environment, as they help to reduce global environmental damage and make our earth a better place. So, let us all pledge to recycle today in order to secure a green future for our planet. ■ Be a community reporter. Send us your videos and pictures at readers@gulfnews. com. SCAN ME
Dubai school aims for ‘zero waste’ of books and uniforms. To read more on the initiative, scan the QR code on the left. ■ ■ ■